Folding seat



Jan. 27, 1942. J. H. TUTTLE 2,270,981

FOLDING SEAT Filed Jan. 27, 1940 1N VENTOR.

BY c/0/7/7 /Z 7Z////6 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 27, 1942 FOLDING SEAT John H. Tuttle, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to Checker Cab Manufacturing Corporation,

Kalamazoo, Mich.

Application January 27, 1940, Serial No. 315,875

1 Claim.

This invention relates to folding seats for automobiles of the type ordinarily employed in taxicabs forwardly of the rear seat to increase the passenger carrying capacity of the cab. It has for its objects:

First, to produce a new and improved chair of the class above mentioned.

Second, to provide such a chair which is simple in construction and which can be made inexpensively.

Third, to provide such a chair with a positive stop to hold the chair against backward movement when the chair is in use.

Fourth, to provide such a chair with a stop mechanism which is wholly concealed and which does not project above the floor of the vehicle.

Fifth, to provide such a chair which in folded position projects above the floor of the vehicle a minimum amount.

Sixth, to provide in such a chair a new and improved stop for the folding back.

Seventh, to provide such a stop which will not pinch or catch the clothing or fingers of the occupants of the cab when the chair is move-d from lowered to raised position.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to details and economies of construction and operation will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims. A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in section on line ll of Fig. 3, showing my improved chair.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the chair in folded position.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1. g

Fig. 4 is a detail view in section showing the stop for the chair back.

My new and improved chair I consists of, a frame 2, a seat 3, back 4 pivoted to the frame at 5, and front legs 6.

To connect the chair to the floor 1 of the vehicle, I provide a pair of platesB apertured at 9 and adapted to be located adjacent apertures It] in the floor I and with the openings 9 and H1 in register. The floor is countersunk at H to receive the plate 8 which is fastened by suitable bolts l2 to the floor and the supporting frame members I3.

The legs 6 are of spring steel of round cross section. The lower ends of the legs extend through the apertures 9 and Ill and are bent forwardly as at I4 at substantially a right angle.

forward portion of the bend in the leg to the front edge I 6 of the plate 8 by means of the hinge member I 1 which is riveted with rivets I 8 to the forwardly bent portion of the legs. The pintle extends through suitable bearings [9 in the plate 8.

On the floor of the vehicle, I provide a suitable rubber pad 20 which is apertured at 2| for the passage of the legs 6 and has a recess 22 extending forwardly from the point of connection between the legs 6 and the fioor 1 of the vehicle to receive the forward portion of the legs 6.

The back 4 of the chair is hinged on a pintle 5 which extends between cars 23 in a slot 24 which receives the ear 25 on the back. A stop 26 is formed between the ears 23 to engage a stop 21 on the ear 25. The pintle 5 is located forwardly of the slot 24 and the stop 21 is of such length that when thechair seat is raised and the back 4 is raised to the position shown in Fig. 1, the stop 2'! lies between the ears 23 in the slot 24.

When my chair is in the lowered position shown in Fig. 2, the stop which holds the chair against backward movement when the chair is in use is completely concealed below the fioor 1 of the car and does not present an obstacle to the ingress and egress of passengers. The legs 6 lie in the recesses 22 with only their rounded backs projecting above the recesses causing a minimum of obstruction.

When the chair is moved to raised position, as shown in Fig. 1, the forwardly bent ends M of the legs engage the bottom of the plate8 providing a very positive concealed stop.

The stop 21, being wholly protected by the ears 23 in the slot 24, willnot pinch or catch the clothing or fingers of occupants of the cab when the back is raised.

It will be perceived that the above described I structure when installed is completely free from the presence of recesses or other depressions in the vehicle floor in which dust, dirt, debris and the like are apt to accumulate. Such accumulation, if not removed, and the removal thereof is usually inconvenient, would ordinarily prevent full collapsing of the legs to inoperative position.

The terms and expressions which have been herein employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation. There is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof. It is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

The legs are hinged on a pintle l5 located at the Having thus described my invention, what I 2v i n 1 2,270,981

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a chair of the class described, the combination of a pair of apertured plates adapted to be disposed at apertures of relatively limited front to rear length in the floor of a vehicle each with its aperture in register with one of said apertures in said floor, a pair of front legs each having its lower end extending through the aperture in one of said plates and bent forwardly at substan- 1o tially a right angle to engage the bottom of said plate when the chair is in raised position, said legs being hinged at the froward portion of the bend thereof to the front edge of the aperture of said plate, the portion of said legs above the bend therein being disposed over the floor forwardly of the aperture therein and adapted to rest thereon in lowered position of the chair. 

